US1473039A - Placer-mining machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1923. 1,473,039 I T. F. HARKINS PLACER MINING MACHINE Filed July 29 1922 Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrica.

THOMAS F, HARKINS, 0F DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LITTLE GIANT MACHINE COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORA- TION OF COLORADO.

rLAcnn-mnme MACHINE.

Application filed July 29, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. Hnnnrns, a

citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of U010- rado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Placer-Mining Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to placer mining machines of the type employed for recover ing fine gold from sand.

In many parts-of our country gold occurs in considerable quantities mixed with sand or gravel. The gold has been reduced to very small particles by the action of the rocks and sand as they in turn have been agitated by the streams of water which have flowed over and through them in ages past. Many efforts have been made to recover gold of the kind referred to above, which is usually referred to as flour gold and machines of various kinds have been devised for this purpose, some of which have been operated more or less successfully. Most of the placer mining machines have been built and operated in such a manner that a large amount of water has been necessary for their success. Flour gold is found in many places where water is scarce and for this reason many rich placer mines have never been worked.

It is the object of this invention to produce a machine that shall be adapted to separate from the sands and gravel gold which occurs therein in the form known as flour gold and'to accomplish the separation by the use of the leastpossible amount of water. In order to more fully and clearly describe my invention I shall have reference to the accompanying drawings in which v I Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my ma chine, v

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 Fig. 1, Fig. 4 i'sa section taken on line H Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 Fig. 4:. The same reference characters will be Serial No. 578,440.

used to designate the same parts throughout the several views.

My machine is supported on a framework comprising a pair of parallel base members 1 near the end of which I provide four vertical supporting members 2. An inclined timber 3 extends on each side from the rear of one of the vertical members 2 to the end of members 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Short spacing members 4 extend between the timbers 1 and 3 to make the latter rigid. The framework is mounted on cross ties 5 which may be sunk into the ground when the machine is installed for operation. A framework 6 is supported from the members 3 by means of links 7 which are rotata bly mounted in the bearings 8 and are similarly connected at their upper ends of boxes A cross piece 10 joins the parallel mem bers of the frame 6 and a number of springs 11 join the cross piece 10 with the vertical framework formed by the members 2 (Fig. 2). Springs 11 are under tension and tend to hold the framework 6 in its uppermost position. A buffer 12 extends transversely of the frameworkand serves as a stop for limiting the upward movement of the frame 6. Secured to the frame 6 and cooperating with the buffer 12 are a pair of members 13 which are firmly secured to the sides 6 by means of bolts 14. The upper end of the members 13 are provided with resilient cushions 1 5 for engaging the buffer 12 and are connected near their ends by a transverse member 16. A shaft 17 is rotatably mounted in bearings 18 and carries cams 19 which cooperate with the rollers :20 which are connected to the members 13. Asthe cams are rotated in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) they engagethe rollers and moves them towards the right. thus tensioning the springs 11. As the rollers pass over the tips of the cams the springs become free to operate and as they contract the frame 6 is pulled upwardly with'a quick motion and the ends of the cushions 15 strike the buffers 12 when the movement suddenly stops the quick upward movement and the sudden stop performs an important function in the operation of the machine and will be re ferred to hereafter. Secured, by suitable means, to the upper end of frame 6 is a rifiie table which I shall designate as a whole by numeral 21. This table consists of two spaced side members 22 each of which is made up of two cooperating members 22 and 22*, the lower one (22) of which is cut in the form of a stair member. The upper portion of each step is notched as indicated y numeral 23.

The upper member is made to cooperate with the lower one so as to clamp between them a piece of sheet metal 24 which is bent so as to conform to the contour of the co operating edges of the two pieces 22 and 22. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the sheet metal. bottom 24: forms a structuresimilar to a stair. The portions of the stair that bends downwardly so as to conform to the portion 23 forms a transverse trough or rifile 25 into which the gold and heavier minerals will gravitate when the machine is in operation. In each trough 25 I place a stirring member which is preferably formed from a pipe and has three rows of screws 27 that project towards the walls of the trough 25 in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The pipes 26 are rotatably mounted at each end between the ends of the springs 28 and has an arm 29 non-.rotatably secured thereto at a point about equidistant from the ends. A rod 30 joins all of the arms 29 in the manner shown n Fig. l and has its upper end connected to a stationary part of the framework. It is evident that as the table reciprocates the pipes 26 will be oscillated by the action of rod 30 and arms 29 and that the screws 27 will keep the sediment agitated within the troughs '25 so as to prevent the same from caking. The auriferous sands that are to be treated are shoveled into a container or box 31 whichhas an adjustable opening 32 in the bt tom thereof. The opening may be varied in size by means of plates 33. An auger like member 34 cooperates with the container 31 and serves to distribute the material to several machines where the capacity is to be augmented. Each machine is provided with a water tank35 which has one or more openings in its bottom: these openings may be partly or entirely closed by a needle valve 37 Water is conducted to the tanks 35 through a pipe 38.. Beneath the container 31 and the tank 35 I provide a chute 39 hav ng a corrug t d et l om 40 wh h projec ve h uppe en of. e le nd directs the mixture of sand and water onto t e me The machi s v n hro gh a belt. 41 app d o he wheel 42. A sp ck t %3 extends. fr ma pro et he l n the axle o the Wh e 42 to a si ar whe l an. the an hat: 17- A fla e i4 i l t d benea h he le elf'end of th table 21 and er es. to arry away t e. material as it leaves t chine The table 21 is made up a a n mb r sec ion so hat it c n. be new easily hand ed when t e clean p is madelende to hold th var ou secti ns 1 ,rrsneo of the table firmly on the frame 6 I provide a plurality of ears 45 which have their lower ends secured to the frame 6 and their upper ends provided with openings for the reception of rods 46. In order to prevent the metal bottom plate 2% fronrwearing out, I provide the same with an extra plate 47 which I call a half sole; this plate protects the lower plate and can be quickly renewed and replaced when it is worn out.

The operation of my machine is as follows: The machine is driven by a gasoline engine or an electric motor to which the belt 41 is directly connected and as the wheel 42 is rotated the screw 34 turns and moves the material along the container, some of the material drops through the opening 32 and into the chute where it mixes with'tho water from tank 35. The wet material then passes from the chute onto the rifile ta le 21, which is constantly reciproeated through the action of the cams 19 and the springs 11. As the material flows over the table the troughs 25 are filled with the Same and the gold and heavier particles or minerals will gravitate to the bottom. The slow downward movement of the table and the quick upward movement thereof serves to move the material downwardly as the inertia of the material will cause it to remain stationary as the table is quickly moved upwardly by the springs 11. The greater part of the gold will be separated out in the troughs near the top, but anything that escapes the first troughs will be ca tured further down as a considerable num er of troughs are provided.

From the above it will appear that I have devised a machine of simple and substantial construction that can be cheaply constructed and easily assembled, which is adapted to be transported to distant places by means of trucks of moderate capacity. My machine is so designed that any number of them can be arranged side by side so as to provide capacity for any amount of material. The construction is such that the gold can be readily removed so as to reduce to as small a period practicable the time the machine needs to be kept idle for cleaning.

I h v s provided means whi h continu:

a ly keeps the mat ial ti red up n the collec ing pocke s where y he sam is prevented from caking.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as newis:

1. In a placer mining machine n can bin ion a upp r ng'fmme or an clined riflie table having parallel sides mp,

ported on said framework: and adap fldf oscillate with respect, thereto, transverse p cke s in. s id table, a. stirring elemen pivotally connected to said sides to; 60: Qper ing with said pockets. can; me ns f r moving said table in the rlewmmd dir tion, spring means for moving said table in the upward direction with a quick motion, stops adapted to be engaged by the table in its uppermost position and means for feeding a mixture of sand and water to the upper end of said table.

2.In a placer mining machine, in combination a supporting framework; an inclined riifie-table having transverse pockets a-ndsubstantially parallel sides supported on said table and adapted to oscillate with respect thereto, said table being formed in separable sections; a rotatable stirrer in each pocket, said stirrer being pivotally and removably mounted between the sides of the table; an upward projecting crank-arm se cured to. each stirrer; and a bar connecting said lever to a stationary part of the frame, whereby when the table reciprocates the stirrer will be oscillated about its pivots.

3. A riifie-table for placer mining machines comprising two substantially parallel sides, each of which is made of two parts having cooperating edges adapted to fit the edges of a metal rifile bottom, said bottom being provided with transverse pockets, the portions of said bottom between said pockets being protected against wear by a removable piece of metal.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS F. HARKINS.

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